


Bent But Not Broken

by TheRighteousMan (FullmetalFlameElric)



Series: Growing Pains [10]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Dysfunctional Family, Family, Family Feels, Kid Fic, Laura Arc, Sheriff Stiles Stilinski, Sickfic, Teenage Rebellion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-09
Updated: 2013-10-09
Packaged: 2017-12-28 21:43:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,735
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/997097
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FullmetalFlameElric/pseuds/TheRighteousMan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Laura's arrested. A job is on the line. And Stiles is reminded of how fragile his human body really is.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bent But Not Broken

**Author's Note:**

> .... This was hell to write. No, seriously. Hell. Like... walk through fire and eternal screaming hell. I had such bad writer's block with this at first I wanted to smash my face against the keyboard and use that as a beginning. (still woulda been a better love story than Twilight)
> 
> But I didn't. Yay self control! So yeah, title is from recommended listening "Just Give Me a Reason" by Pink! Featuring Nick Ruess.
> 
> Ages:
> 
> Stiles: 37  
> Derek: 45  
> Laura: 17  
> John: 14  
> Alyssa: 8

“Richards, I want that report on my desk tomorrow morning.” Stiles stated, shrugging his uniform jacket on over his shoulders and glancing over to where the younger deputy was sitting. The man just hummed, nodding and continued his work. Stiles frowned. “Richards.”

“Yeah, whatever, boss. It’ll be there.” the man stated.

Sighing, Stiles just let it go. He was too tired for this shit. He had enough casework to do at home, Alyssa was home sick with the flu, Stiles had the feeling he was coming down with something himself, Laura had been acting up worse than ever, John was flying through his course work and the school kept calling with questions on what to do with him, not to mention he and Derek hadn’t had a chance to spend even five minutes alone. Forget getting a full night’s sleep together. The moon forbid they get an hour at night to even curl up together and sleep without Derek’s damned pager going off or Stiles getting called in for a murder. He was getting too old for some of this.

Leaving the station, he climbed into his cruiser and sighed, sinking into his seat a bit further. He flexed his grip on the steering wheel before starting the car and pulling out onto the road. He needed to eat and take a nap to try and sleep off the fever he could feel settling in. But the likelihood of that happening was slim to none.

 

“You look like shit.” Derek stated in greeting, coming out to meet his husband once the cruiser was parked and the engine turned off.

Stiles shot him a look and stumbled from the car, shutting the door and slumping into Derek’s waiting arms. “Feel like shit…” he grumbled, turning his head and pressing his lips to his husband’s neck and placing a sloppy, open mouthed kiss to the soft pulse point. The wolf just hummed, wrapping his arms tightly around him and carefully guiding him towards the house, up the stairs, and inside. “How’s Alyssa?” he asked, sniffling slightly. His nose had been steadily getting more and more plugged up as the day had gone by.

“She’s asleep on the couch right now. John’s curled up with her right now watching nature documentaries. I think they’re on Blue Planet.” Derek muttered, carefully removing his husband’s coat and hanging it up as he pulled the younger man to his chest.

“Who’s narrating?”

“Pierce Brosnan.”

Stiles nodded. “You’re sure it’s not Attenborough?”

“Positive. He’s not that worked up. Just worried about Alyssa’s cold sweats.” Derek stated as he ran a hand through Stiles’ hair and carefully guided him up to their bedroom. Making sure he was steady on hi feet, Derek began to methodically strip him, working off the uniform shirt first and tossing it onto the bed before removing the tank top underneath to expose the pale flesh beneath.

“You know… if I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were trying to seduce me.” Stiles hummed, almost slurring his words as Derek moved on to unbutton his uniform pants. The wolf just snorted and place a kiss to his hip once he’d worked the pants down Stiles’ legs.

“Not today, love. We’re going to get you into comfy clothes and get some food into you before I sit you down with our daughter so you two can be contaminated together.” Derek muttered, guiding Stiles to sit and then going to grab a change of clothes for his mate.

Stiles hummed and watched him, sniffling once more. “I’m not that sick. It’s just a cold, Derek, and it’s been a long day.

“You still need rest.” Derek countered, easily manhandling Stiles into a pair of sweats and one of his own hoodies. The NYU logo on the front was faded from years of wear and washing, but it was still visible.

“Smells like you…” Stiles hummed happily, burying his nose in the neck of the hoodie and closing his eyes for a moment while he savored the scent.

“Good to know you can still smell through that cold of yours.” Derek muttered, helping him up and back downstairs. They passed the other two in the living room, Alyssa snoring softly where her head was pillowed in her brother’s lap. John looked up from the credits on the screen and blinked.

“Dad? Do you think you could change out the disc? I don’t want to wake her…” he asked softly, looking to Stiles and smiling. “Hey, mom.”

“Hey, John…” Stiles hummed, pressing a kiss to his son’s forehead as Derek stepped away long enough to swap out the dvd for John. “How’d today go?”

“My math teacher messed up his lesson because he didn’t realise the first five equations were wrong…” John hummed, shrugging. “He didn’t like it when I corrected him, either…”

Smiling a bit more fondly, Stiles ruffled John’s hair and sighed. “That’s my boy…”

John just smiled up and then looked to Derek. “Thanks, dad…”

“No problem, kiddo. I’m going to make sure your mother gets some real food into him and then we’ll come join you guys out here.” Derek stated, giving the back of his son’s neck a gentle squeeze as he walked back over to Stiles and turned him towards the kitchen. He got him set up at one of the chairs at the center island and pulled out the roast from just earlier that night. Stiles just let him do his thing, slumping down on the counter and resting his head on his folded arms. He must have drifted for a few moments because he snapped to when a plate was set before him and a cool hand pressed to his forehead. “You’re warm…”

“I’ll be fine…”

“Still… we’re taking it easy tonight, ok?”

“Ok…”

 

Stiles’ phone rang in the middle of puffed up baby penguins, Morgan Freeman’s voice lulling the room’s occupants into a light doze. John was asleep, curled around a snoring Alyssa, his nose buried in her hair as he snuffled softly with each breath. Stiles was currently sprawled out over Derek’s lap. The two of them were starfished o the love seat, Derek’s nose buried in Stiles’ neck as he drifted between awake and asleep. Stiles was mostly asleep, already drooling a bit.

As his phone rang, he groaned and shifted. “Dun wanna~...” he whined, grumbling as he sat up and used the sleeve of his (Derek’s) hoodie to remove the saliva from his chin. Derek grunted his displeasure at Stiles’ moving around, but didn't do much else in protest.

Snagging his phone, Stiles checked who was calling and sighed. “What’d ya need, Jameson?” he asked, sniffling now that he was vertical once more.

“You need to come to the station.” Was the serious response. Stiles frowned and stood.

“What happened?”

A heavy sigh. It was bad. Stiles knew it. Jameson was never this serious unless some serious shit was about to go down. “The big man’s requesting your presence…”

Shit.

“...I’ll be there in 15.” He promised before hanging up.

“Babe?” Derek asked, eyes open and focused on him. Stiles just shook his head.

“The man in charge needs me at the station. I’m guessing it’s about the case we’ve been working on.” He muttered, shifting around in a circle as he patted his hips in thought. “I need pants..”

“Do you want me to drive you?” Derek asked, pulling himself into a sitting position.

Stiles stole a kiss instead, offering a smile. “It’s fine. I won’t be gone long. Just enjoy the time with the two zombies over there and I’ll be back before you know it. Just remember to check in with Laura at 10 if I’m not home by then…” He reminded, stealing another kiss. “Love you.”

‘Love you, too…”

 

Arriving at the station, Stiles braced himself and made his way inside. He shivered as he entered the building, the sudden change in temperature startling. It was only the first week of December and there was still plenty of biting cold weather to come.

Jameson was waiting for him, a grim expression in place. “Sheriff…” he greeted, glancing to the left. Stiles followed his gaze and found Laura sitting with her head bowed, hands over her face.

“What happened?”

“Mr. Stilinski, if you would please?” A deathly calm female voice called from the direction of his own office. Heart sinking, he turned and met the one sight he’d been dreading since the phone call.

“Mrs. Hills…” He greeted, pasting on a friendly smile.

Double shit.

The woman just smiled, the action more threatening than calming. She always reminded Stiles of a hyena, particularly the spotted hyena. A grin that looked like she could eat you alive, claw like nails, and a dominating personality. Hell, he wouldn’t be surprised if, when giving birth, she’d sprouted something resembling a penis and then used it to assert her dominance over her own husband. He pitied that man. He really did.

And to make things worse, Mrs. Hills was the politician in charge of his income.

Shit thrice.

“Mr. Stilinski…” she repeated, stepping aside and motioning for him to enter his office. It felt more like stepping into a lion’s den.

Quadruple shit.

 

Derek was doing his best not to worry. Laura wasn’t answering her phone, but it wasn’t uncommon to have to try a few times whenever she was studying with Andy. At least the girl could get Laura focused enough to miss her phone going off. But it was nearing 10:30 and he hadn’t gotten a hold of her or heard from Stiles. He was seriously contemplating calling the pack and forming a search party when the door slammed open and both entered the house, John and Alyssa jolting awake.

“Stiles-” Laura started, outright glaring and eyes flashing gold.

“No, Laura.” Stiles just shrugged out of his jacket and kicked off his shoes.

“But-”

“No.”

“You can’t seriously think I’d-”

“I don’t know what to believe anymore with you, Laura.” Stiles interrupted, turning to fixed a tired look on his daughter. “We’ll talk about this later. Go to your room.”

“St-”

“GO!”

Laura jumped, eyes widening as she stared at Stiles. In the living room, John ducked his head and Alyssa curled into her brother. Derek had even flinched at the sudden outburst from his usually laid back husband. Clenching her jaw, Laura shook her head.

“Grandpa would have believed me.” she snapped before darting up the stairs and slamming her bedroom door shut.

Stiles just sagged against the door, slowly sliding halfway down it. Derek got to his feet, silently telling John to stay where he was, and made his way to Stiles. “Babe?” he asked softly. Stiles looked at him before glancing at the couch. Sighing, he motioned for Derek to follow him and lead the way to their bedroom. Derek made sure to remind John that he and Alyssa needed to be in bed soon before he followed.

Stiles was stripping out of his jeans when Derek entered the room, closing the door softly behind him. His gaze danced over the exposed skin, settling on the way Stiles shifted on his hips before they were covered once more by a pair of flannel sleep pants. It was silent for a moment. Stiles finished changing and sunk down onto the bed with a sigh. Derek stepped over, standing between his husband’s legs and running his hands through his hair. Stiles leaned his forehead against Derek’s stomach, hands reaching up to tangle fingers in the wolf’s shirt.

“Laura was caught vandalizing the school along with Skylar and Riley.” The words were slightly muffled and Stiles’ tone of voice held an edge to it that told Derek there was more to it. “Andy called it in. Laura says she wasn’t doing anything, that she was trying to get them to stop, but she hand paint on her hands and a spray can on her. Jameson brought her in and apparently Lewis reported to Mrs. Hills. This really isn’t looking good for Laura.”

Derek growled softly, rubbing the back of Stiles’ neck. “I’ll go talk to-”

“Just wait till tomorrow. She’s too worked up and she’s been read the riot act three times in the last two hours. Just let her calm down and then we’ll talk to her when the chances of it becoming a screaming match are lower.”

Derek huffed, but nodded. “Ok…” Stiles was still tense under his hands, clearly thinking hard. “What haven’t you told me?”

Stiles flinched, curling closer. “I’ve been suspended until they can figure out if I’m fit to continue my job. The way Mrs. Hills put it was ‘if you can’t control your own children, how are we supposed to trust you as sheriff?’ …” Stiles whimpered and pressed closer. “God I know what my dad felt like, now…”

“Stiles.. she can’t-”

“She can and she did. I was elected as sheriff and she’s interviening to make sure I’m still fit for the job. Right now, she’s selecting someone she sees fit to act in my place and, if decided, to replace me permanently.” Stiles sighed and hugged Derek closer, arms wrapping around his waist.

“Stiles, I-”

“It’s ok…” He muttered softly, relaxing into Derek. “It’s ok… can we just… curl up? Not think about it until tomorrow?”

Sighing softly, Derek pressed a kiss to Stiles’ forehead, tilting his chin up and slowly guiding him to lie on his back on the bed. Sealing their lips in a kiss, Derek braced his arms on either side of Stiles’ shoulders.

“I love you…”

“Love you, too…”

 

His chest felt heavy and trying to inhale was like trying to breathe through sludge. It hurt to breathe. It hurt even more to cough. And currently, Stiles was coughing a lot. He’d woken up in the early hours of the morning with a tickle in his throat. Now, he was doubled over the toilet, coughing hard enough to revisit the roast he’d eaten earlier the previous evening.

Coughing and spitting, he groaned. “That’s disgusting…”

“Sit up.” Derek coaxed, cupping the back of Stiles’ neck and carefully wiping his face with a damp cloth. Stiles just grumbled under his breath.

“Seriously, I dunno why you put up with me… I’m icky and gross… and sick… and human… and-”

“Stiles.”

“Yes?”

“Shut up. You’re sick. It happens. So is our youngest. Now stop complaining and let me mother hen you.”

He got a pout in response. 

Derek just kissed his nose. 

Stiles coughed.

“Want me to call Lydia tomorrow? Or you going to infect the house with Alyssa on your own, while I’m at work?” Derek asked, flushing the mess away and getting Stiles to his feet.

Stiles’ pout intensified. “I’ll be fine without a babysitter.”

“Uh-huh. Need I remind you of the time Alyssa brought home chickenpox?”

A groan. “No~... We’re not going to talk about the great pox pandemic that was out daughter two years ago. You promised. That entire week was miserable.”

“I’m still trying to figure out how you never had chickenpox as a kid. Even werewolves get it.” Derek muttered, carefully maneuvering Stiles from the bathroom.

“Magic. Though, I’ll admit. It was nice to have everyone home all at once.”

Derek snorted. “You’re not the one that had to take care of four sick people.”

“Yeah, well, you’re just the freak that had to get it while still a pup. You and Alyssa can share the normally diseased spot in the family.” Stiles grumbled out, staggering slightly when they got to the bed.

“Come on, sickly.” Derek muttered, pulling the covers back and manhandling Stiles down onto the bed. “Back to bed with you and your germs.”

Stiles just grumbled and face planted it into his pillow. Derek covered him up and returned to his side. Settling in with the lights off, he got comfortable and sighed.

Stiles coughed.

 

“I didn’t do it.” Laura defended, arms crossed over her chest. Across the table from her, Derek pinched the bridge of his nose while a red faced, feverish Stiles leaned heavily into his side. If you’d asked Derek, he would have stated Stiles should have been in bed. In fact, most would agree. Except Stiles, at least. He was determined to be there to hear his daughter out.

“Laura…” Derek sighed.

“No! I was trying to get them to stop and go home! I didn’t do anything!” she countered, shaking her head and growling in frustration.

“Laura, you had a can of spray paint in your hands. You had paint all over your hands and arms…” Stiles said tiredly, head resting on Derek’s shoulder. 

“I took the can away from Skylar to get her to stop! She shoved me into the wall she was painting!” Laura hissed, eyes constantly shifting from gold to green and back again as she grew more frustrated. “God, how is it so hard for you to believe I didn’t do it!?”

Lifting his head, Stiles gazed tiredly at her and sighed. “I’m not saying it’s impossible it happened that way. I’m just looking at the evidence I’ve been given….”

“Laura… to be honest, you don’t have the best track record backing you up, either.” Derek stated, tone soft and patient, but still firm. “You’ve lied to us before and been processed enough times that the cops know you more by your mugshot than the photos on Stiles’ desk.”

“I didn’t do it! I’m not that stupid!” Laura snapped.

Derek snapped his jaws, teeth clicking together in a warning as he growled, eyes flashing red. Laura sank back in her seat. “Regardless, you were still out late and there when the cops showed up. You keep getting mixed up in this shit, and it’s not ok. Your teenaged rebellion likely just cost your mother his job.”

“Derek..” Stiles started, not wanting to bring that into this despite the obvious link the two occurrences had.

“No!” Derek snapped, glancing to Stiles before fixing Laura with a frown. “Enough is enough. Stiles and I were going to wait this out and do what we could to get you to start acting like the person we know you are, but this has gone far enough.”

“Dad-”

“From now on you won’t be anywhere near Skylar, Riley, or Andy. You’ll be handing in your phone to me or Stiles the second you get home and I’ll be monitoring your usage of it while you’re at school. You’ll also be giving us your car keys. If you need to-”

“Dad-!”

“If you need to go anywhere, Stiles or I will take you there and pick you up. You’re going to have limited computer time, of which will also be monitored. This will continue until we see an improvement in your grades, your attitude, and you find a damn good way to make this up to your mother. Because, Laura… this is not a game. You’ve damaged your mother’s career, your mother’s and grandfather’s names in the town, our family income-”

“The inheritance-”

“The inheritance is going to yours and your siblings’ college funds. Of which you better damned well hope you still have a shot of after this is over.”

Laura sat there, mouth open in shock before she growled in frustration. “Fine…” she snapped, handing over her keys. “Whatever. Now how am I getting to school?”

“I’ll be driving you and John.” Derek stated, scowl still in place. Laura sighed, and crossed her arms.

“Whatever… can I go get ready now?”

She got up and stomped off once Derek had given her a short dismissive nod. He turned to look at Stiles, his husband sagging heavily against him.

“....That went well…” Stiles muttered, closing his eyes and sighing. Derek wrapped an arm around his shoulders and kissed his forehead.

“Could’ve been worse. At least she can hate me now and give you a break.” Derek rested his cheek against Stiles’ temple. “...You’re fever’s gotten worse…”

“I’ll sleep it off today while Alyssa watches Disney movies. I know she’s got the urge to watch Lion King and you know how Nathan Lane’s singing lulls me to sleep like a choir of tone deaf angels.” Stiles stated, turning his face into Derek’s neck and sighing. The warm puff of air against the wolf’s skin was too hot for his liking and he made a mental note to call Melissa when he got to work. He’d call Ethan, but he knew the wolf was working the day shift in the ER again. Besides, few people could deal with a sick Stiles like his stepmother could.

“I’m sure you will. Until then, though, where would you like me to get you setup?” Derek asked, easing Stiles onto his feet and wrapping his arms around his waist. The human slumped into him and hummed.

“Couch is fine… I’ll just nest there till Alyssa wakes up… she still have that fever from yesterday?”

“Yeah… I’ll call Melissa later and see if she’ll come by and take a look at her. See if she’s gotten better any or if we should take her in to see the doctor.”

“Alright…” Stiles muttered, pausing to cough, his entire frame shaking with the effort. Derek eyed him warily.

“Should I get you a bucket just in case?”

That earned him a brown eyed glared. “Not funny, Mr. Grumpy Gills…”

 

“Before dawn on Sunday 25 April, men of the 3rd Brigade splashed ashore. The place was narrow beach at Ari Burnu, on the west coast of the Gallipoli peninsula, known to us as Anzac Cove. For medical support it had the brigade’s RMO Captain W. Mainwaring and his small team, the 3rd Fd Amb (commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Alfred Sutton), which lost three men killed and 14 wounded- Where the hell did John even get this book?” Stiles muttered, pausing to cough into his elbow as he flipped through the pages of _Gallipoli An Australian Medical Perpective_. “This has nothing to do with US History…”

“He special ordered it off of an Australian book site.” Alyssa muttered into her blanket, eyes never leaving the television as Lady and the Tramp played on screen.

“...How did he manage that?” Stiles muttered, flipping the book around and reading the back cover. Alyssa just shrugged. “No, you know what… I bet Lydia has something to do with it…”

The doorbell rang and Stiles groaned, letting his head drop onto the arm of the couch. “Come in!” he called, pausing to cough a few times.

The door opened and the familiar face of Melissa appeared in his line of sight. She smiled and stepped further in, John Sr. following close behind and shutting the door once they were inside. “Hey, Stiles…” Melissa greeted.

Stiles blinked and offered a tired grin. “Hey, Mama McCall…” he hummed.

Melissa rolled her eyes. “Stiles, I’ve been a Stilinski for years now…” she muttered.

“Pfft…” Stiles muttered, waving a hand. “Once a McCall, always a McCall. Even marrying into the family doesn’t change that. Isaac learned that the hard way…” He said happily, giving a stupid grin and rolling his head to the side. Spotting his father, his smile weakening. “Hey, Daddy…”

John’s brows furrowed slightly and he shared a look with Melissa. “You want to take Alyssa upstairs and see how she’s doing?” he asked. Melissa nodded, rolling her sleeves up once she’d removed her jacket.

“Of course! Come on, Alyssa. I brought some of that bubble bath you liked over. Let’s let you take a nice hot bath and I’ll wash your hair and braid it for you.” she suggested.

Alyssa grinned and scampered off the couch, coughing slightly for a second before following after Melissa up the stairs. “Melissa, go ahead and use mine and Derek’s bathroom. It’s got the bigger tub in it.” Stiles called after her receiving a positive response before the two were gone.

He could feel his father’s gaze on him as he watched the steps. He let it go while he could before he finally turned to look at his father.

“What’s wrong..?” John Sr. asked, stepping over and sitting beside his son. Stiles shifted to make room for him, his father lifting his legs and putting them on his lap.

“Besides being sicker than a dog?”

John Sr. lifted a brow at the choice of words before Stiles shrugged.

“Fine, not the best choice of words, but it gets the point across.”

John Sr. just patted his son’s calf. “What happened? You haven’t called me Daddy since you had the chickenpox…”

Stiles groaned. “Can we please not talk about that? Anything but the chickenpox. Derek already brought it up.”

“Fine. Just… tell me what’s wrong…”

Stiles fell silent, fiddling with the loose strings of his blanket. “...I’ve been suspended…”

John Sr.’s eyes widened. “What? Why?”

“Because I’m apparently unfit to be sheriff if I can’t control my own children…” Stiles sighed and slumped heavily against the couch. “Laura was caught vandalizing the school with two of her friends. She says she was trying to stop them, but she was covered in evidence of the opposite. And I so desperately want to believe that she was only trying to stop them, but she’s lied to us so often that I just… I don’t know my daughter anymore, and I’m… I’m scared for her… I’m scared that I won’t be enough to help her and she’ll end up hurt and alone, or locked up somewhere because she snapped and assaulted the wrong person or hunted because she managed to piss off the wrong group of hunters-...” He choked back his words, coughing weakly and curling into his father’s side. “Daddy… I don’t know what to do anymore…” he finally whimpered.

“Hey… hey, Stiles… Genim…. hey, it’s ok… It’ll be ok…” John Sr. hushed, running his hand through his son’s hair. “Take a breather…” he soothed as Stiles continued to cough, his body convulsing with each wracking hack.

“S-sorry…. I’m sick and I-I’m whiney… Sorry…” he managed through coughs.

Sighing, John Sr. shook his head and brushed the younger Stilinski’s bangs back. “No… don’t apologize…”

“This is karma dad… It has to be… By the moon, it’s no wonder the city council gave me skeptical looks the day I was sworn in… the kid that got his own father fired from the same position…. I never should have been elected.”

“Stiles… you’ve come a long way from the trouble making teenager you used to be… Your deputies love you…” John Sr. stated, fixing his son with a serious look. Stiles snorted, sound coming out strangled and muffled through his stuffed nose.

“The newer deputies hate me, dad… Getting them to do their jobs is like pulling teeth from a shark…”

“That’s ‘cause they’re young and stupid. The deputies that actually know what they’re doing? Stiles everyone of them that I talk to say they love working with you….” John Sr. stopped his son before he could speak up, holding a finger to his lips and lifting a brow. “Just give it a day or two… you’ll see what I mean… Now get some sleep, son… you need to get healthy before they call you back into work…”

 

“How is he?” Derek asked, shifting in the entryway as he glanced into the living room where Stiles was sound asleep, his head in his father’s lap. Beside him, Melissa shrugged.

“He’s… still sick, but he’ll be better in a day or two. He’ll have one really bad night, but he should start to get better after that. Just make sure he drinks plenty of water and eats healthy…” She stated, running a hand through her hair. “Alyssa’s almost over it. She’s mostly got chills and a slight cough now. Give it another twenty four hours and she should be back to the hyperactive kid she usually is.”

Derek just nodded, glancing up the stairs to where he could hear his youngest daughter’s heartbeat as she napped. “...How is he… emotionally? Did he talk to you or John at all?”

Melissa nodded, glancing back at the two Stilinski men. “Yeah… yeah he did… John managed to talk him down a bit, but… I honestly don’t know, Derek. I mean, I know Stiles, but I don’t know him at the same time…”

“I know… it’s impossible to really know how he works… thank you, though… for spending the day with him…” Derek muttered.

Melissa just offered a small smile and pulled the wolf into a hug. “Anytime… you’re family now that you’ve married my second son… family sticks together…”

 

“I’m gonna kill the kid if he orders me around one more time.” Rick Jameson stated, hands flailing around slightly as he talked, seated on the right hand side of the couch beside Stiles, Deputy Andrew Hendrickson nodding as he sat to Stiles’ left. “Kid thinks he’s tough shit cause Hills appointed him temporary Sheriff. Huh! Gettin’ too big for his britches if you ask me!”

“We’ve decided to boycott work.” Andrew threw in, nodding sagely as he sipped his beer. He was in full uniform at the moment and Stiles had to wonder if he was supposed to be on duty.

“Boycott work?” Stiles asked, lifting a brow and sniffling, reaching for a tissue to blow his nose.

Jameson gave him a mildly amused look while Hendrickson cringed away. “Nasty, dude…”

“Hey, I’m sick. Give me a br-” he coughed. “a break.”

“Right… but yeah, boycott. We’ll still go out on patrol and stuff, but we’ll do it on the schedule you set. Not the one Richardson’s fucking up. And paperwork? Forget it. We’re on self appointed vacation.” Andrew stated, nodding once more.

Rick snorted. “It’s been two days and the precinct has gone to hell without you there. Hills was seriously considering Richards as the new sheriff, but it ain’t gonna happen if we’ve got any say in the matter. If she does, most the department’s quittin..”

Stiles frowned at that. “Guys…”

“No. No changing our minds. We’ve all agreed. We don’t care how much trouble your daughter gets into. You were quite the troublemaker yourself. So, fuck what Hills thinks. The city of Beacon Hills selected you and no one’s complained about you yet. We actually had a young woman ask about you yesterday. She refused to work with Richards. Demanded to talk to you and no one else.”

Andrew nodded once more. “Yup. Hill is pissed. So I guess we’ll see you by the end of the week, long as you’re feelin’ healthy once more.”

Stiles just managed a small smile. “Thanks guys… really…”

“We look forward to havin’ you back, Sheriff.”

"Think you'd be glad to know, Laura had nothin' to do with the graffiti on the school." Andrew added, smiling a bit satisfied with this knowledge.

Stiles' eyes widened and he slumped in relief. "Really?"

"Yup. Security cameras showed her trying to stop them." Rick tossed in. Relief settled heavily on Stiles' shoulders along with a bit of guilt. He'd have to let Derek know so they could talk to Laura and set things right.

 

“You look absolutely miserable…” Derek muttered, entering the room later that night. Stiles just coughed and groaned, blowing his nose once more.

“My body aches, my nose is running like a fucking faucet with a leak, my head feels ready to explode, I can barely breathe, and I can hardly see straight. How do you think I feel?” Stiles groused, hacking up a bit of phlegm into a tissue and grimacing. “Oh god…” he whined.

Derek shook his head and set a tray on the bed over Stiles’ lap. A bowl of homemade chicken noodle soup sat in the middle, two pieces of lightly buttered bread on the side with some crackers and a mug of tea.

“Oh by the moon, thank you…” he moaned, leaning forward and getting a good sniff of the soup, the steam clearing his nose just enough for him to breathe a bit easier. “Thank you so much…”

“Wasn’t me.” Derek hummed, running his hands through Stiles’ hair as the younger took a spoonful of the soup and hummed happily at the warmth.

“Hm? Then who-”

“Laura made it… Don’t know if you noticed or not, but you’ve been in bed all day coughing up mucus… You’ve been in and out of it all day.” Derek explained softly. “She made supper… since I was at work…”

“Oh…” Stiles whispered, lowering the spoon and looking at the soup for a long moment.

“Eat.” Derek stated, kissing his temple once more and going to get dressed. “Get some rest after and I’ll start you a bath here in an hour or two.”

Stiles just watched him step away and disappear into the hall once he’d changed into something more comfortable.

 

“Laura?” Stiles whispered, knocking softly on her door. He finally felt human enough to get up and move around a bit. The bath had helped clear his head and he’d been able to enjoy a moment to relax with his husband. It had been needed after the recent fights they’d had. But now, he was stood outside his eldest’s door, wrapped in another of Derek’s hoodies and a pair of lounge pants with unicorns and rainbows on them. What? They were comfortable!

He didn’t get an answer so he knocked once more before opening her door. “Laura?” he whispered again, pausing as he spotted the teen. She was asleep on her bed, blankets shoved to the foot of her bed. Her bedside lamp was on. Her hand resting on the open copy of a book beside her head.

Smiling softly, Stiles stepped into the room and eased the book from her hands. His gaze caught on the chapter title, “Chapter 13: Not At Home”. She’d been reading _The Hobbit_. Something twisted longingly in his chest as he bookmarked the page and set it aside. He grabbed her blankets and pulled them up over her, tucking her in and smoothing her hair back from her eyes. Pressing a kiss to her forehead, Stiles closed his eyes for a moment, savoring being this close to his daughter again.

“..... I love you…” he stated, voice barely even a whisper.

Straightening up, he turned off her light and silently moved back to the door. He paused to look over his shoulder once more before closing her door behind him with a soft click.


End file.
